Difference between revisions of "Strategic Locations"
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This pattern is a still a stub. | This pattern is a still a stub. | ||
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| + | Their value can be that they contain game elements that allow certain actions or resources unavailable elsewhere, or that they control the access to other areas of the Game World. | ||
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
| + | The player who controls the center of the game board in Chess, especially with officers, has a significant strategic advantage. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Controlling locations that produce valuable resources, such as the cities in Civilization, provide the player a long-term strategic advantage. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Quad Damage spawn points in the [[Quake series]] | ||
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| + | [[Goal Points]] in [[Quake Wars: Enemy Territories]] | ||
== Using the pattern == | == Using the pattern == | ||
| + | Strategic Locations may be either explicit by the presence of game elements or implicit deriving from the relationship between the location and other locations in the game. Explicit Strategic Locations can easily be created by the placement of Resource Generators, Resource Locations, Chargers, Tiles,Pick-Ups, Power-Ups, Controllers, Safe Havens, Spawn Points, and Goal Points. To ensure players' awareness of Strategic Locations, they can be set to stand out in the visual design of the Game World as Outstanding Features. Implicit Strategic Locations may be intentionally created by the arrangement of explicit Strategic Locations nearby, or they may be emergent features due to Randomness ofResource allocation or due to the combinations of player strategies. In either case, Strategic Locations can affect Player Balance, typically by giving advantages in Combat. | ||
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| + | Games using player constructed boards from Tiles allow the players to modify the value of explicit Strategic Locations by placing them in positions where their relationship to other Tiles increase or decrease their usability. Similarly, Tiles with no inherent value can be made Strategic Locations by connecting them to other Tiles in a certain way. | ||
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| + | A player might Gain Information about Strategic Locations as a Supporting Goal with Traverse, Guard, or Reconnaissance. It can be the primary subgoal in goals of Exploration. Knowing Strategic Locations can also influence Spawning, if players have control over which Spawn Points to use. | ||
=== Diegetic Aspects === | === Diegetic Aspects === | ||
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== Consequences == | == Consequences == | ||
| + | Knowing and Memorizing the proper value and use of Strategic Locations is one way for the players to gain Strategic Knowledge in a game, for example, in Traverse goals. This is especially true for Strategic Locations that depend mainly on the topology of the surrounding Game World for their values, rather than on the explicit presence of valuable game elements. An example of how topology dictates that value of a location is the value of the central area of the board in Chess. If the locations can be owned in the game, Strategic Locations make excellent Gain Ownership goals that can be achieved through Area Control or other actions that provide Ownership of parts of the Game World. | ||
== Relations == | == Relations == | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | [[Resource Generators]] | |
| − | + | [[Spawn Points]] | |
| − | + | [[Camping]] | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
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| − | [[ | + | |
| − | [[ | + | |
| − | [[ | + | |
=== Can Instantiate === | === Can Instantiate === | ||
| − | + | [[Strategic Knowledge]] | |
| − | + | ||
=== Can Modulate === | === Can Modulate === | ||
| + | [[Territories]] | ||
=== Can Be Instantiated By === | === Can Be Instantiated By === | ||
| + | [[Controllers]], | ||
| + | [[Game Items]], | ||
| + | [[Inaccessible Areas]], | ||
| + | [[Installations]], | ||
| + | [[Power-Ups]], | ||
| + | [[Safe Havens]], | ||
| + | [[Self-Service Kiosks]], | ||
| + | [[Strategic Planning]] | ||
| + | [[Tools]], | ||
| + | [[Vehicles]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Game Worlds]] together with [[Resource Generators]] or [[Spawn Points]] | ||
=== Can Be Modulated By === | === Can Be Modulated By === | ||
| + | [[Diegetically Outstanding Features]], | ||
| + | [[Mini-maps]] | ||
=== Possible Closure Effects === | === Possible Closure Effects === | ||
Revision as of 12:57, 22 May 2011
Areas in game worlds that are advantageous to control or have access to.
This pattern is a still a stub.
Their value can be that they contain game elements that allow certain actions or resources unavailable elsewhere, or that they control the access to other areas of the Game World.
Contents
Examples
The player who controls the center of the game board in Chess, especially with officers, has a significant strategic advantage.
Controlling locations that produce valuable resources, such as the cities in Civilization, provide the player a long-term strategic advantage.
Quad Damage spawn points in the Quake series
Goal Points in Quake Wars: Enemy Territories
Using the pattern
Strategic Locations may be either explicit by the presence of game elements or implicit deriving from the relationship between the location and other locations in the game. Explicit Strategic Locations can easily be created by the placement of Resource Generators, Resource Locations, Chargers, Tiles,Pick-Ups, Power-Ups, Controllers, Safe Havens, Spawn Points, and Goal Points. To ensure players' awareness of Strategic Locations, they can be set to stand out in the visual design of the Game World as Outstanding Features. Implicit Strategic Locations may be intentionally created by the arrangement of explicit Strategic Locations nearby, or they may be emergent features due to Randomness ofResource allocation or due to the combinations of player strategies. In either case, Strategic Locations can affect Player Balance, typically by giving advantages in Combat.
Games using player constructed boards from Tiles allow the players to modify the value of explicit Strategic Locations by placing them in positions where their relationship to other Tiles increase or decrease their usability. Similarly, Tiles with no inherent value can be made Strategic Locations by connecting them to other Tiles in a certain way.
A player might Gain Information about Strategic Locations as a Supporting Goal with Traverse, Guard, or Reconnaissance. It can be the primary subgoal in goals of Exploration. Knowing Strategic Locations can also influence Spawning, if players have control over which Spawn Points to use.
Diegetic Aspects
Interface Aspects
Narrative Aspects
Consequences
Knowing and Memorizing the proper value and use of Strategic Locations is one way for the players to gain Strategic Knowledge in a game, for example, in Traverse goals. This is especially true for Strategic Locations that depend mainly on the topology of the surrounding Game World for their values, rather than on the explicit presence of valuable game elements. An example of how topology dictates that value of a location is the value of the central area of the board in Chess. If the locations can be owned in the game, Strategic Locations make excellent Gain Ownership goals that can be achieved through Area Control or other actions that provide Ownership of parts of the Game World.
Relations
Resource Generators Spawn Points Camping
Can Instantiate
Can Modulate
Can Be Instantiated By
Controllers, Game Items, Inaccessible Areas, Installations, Power-Ups, Safe Havens, Self-Service Kiosks, Strategic Planning Tools, Vehicles
Game Worlds together with Resource Generators or Spawn Points
Can Be Modulated By
Diegetically Outstanding Features, Mini-maps
Possible Closure Effects
Potentially Conflicting With
History
An updated version of the pattern Strategic Locations that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design[1].
References
- ↑ Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) Patterns in Game Design. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.
Acknowledgements
-
